Really Cool Video with history and old photos of Sanibel Island. See how life was on these local islands back when the settlers arrived and Edison and Ford stayed and fished and played.
Does Size Really Matter?
Does Size Really Matter When Choosing A Realtor®
The decision has been made. You are going to sell your Pine Island Florida home. Now what?
The next crucial decision will be: Who should you choose to protect your interests in this process?
There are many real estate companies on Pine Island to choose from, large and small. Which is the better way to go? Who will work harder for you? Is bigger always better?
When you do decide to list your home, remember you are not hiring a company, you are hiring an agent to protect your interests. By law, every agent has the responsibility to perform certain duties, and most will perform those duties to the letter of the law. Agents in the large brokerage offices will usually have a lot of listings, and so does the brokerage. They have a duty to ALL of those owners to market their properties, they are on the road much of the day showing ALL of those houses… they are very busy! They have strict company policies and rules they must follow and have many hands in that “commission pie”….. leading to many self-serving decisions, effecting your future, being made by people you have probably never heard of or met.
Your agent should make you feel as though you are their only client. He or she should return your calls and answer all of your questions expeditiously and accurately. Your agent should have a solid marketing strategy when listing your home and they should be well versed in the local market when showing you properties. He or she should be good at negotiating and should have excellent relationships with lenders, title companies, inspectors, and appraisers – because it’s easier to close an escrow when all parties see eye to eye. At least, that is the way it is supposed to work.
Been There, Done That, Hated It….
When I finally got my brokerage license here on Pine Island my dream was to be one of those bigger firms – the bigger the better! We had 32 agents and more than one hundred listings. We were way too busy! We did that for a number of years.So what happened? Why would we want to become a smaller boutique real estate office?
The #1 Reason: We missed giving the personal attention that our clients deserved. In many cases I didn’t know who I was talking to on the phone and had only seen their home in pictures. I wanted to offer the flexibility to change the“rules”…… or throw the rules out the window for certain situations. All of the chaos and the busy work were making me unhappy.
Our Secret Weapon: Customer Relationships….
The role of a real estate agent has changed over the past 15 years. Today 90%
of consumers search the internet for properties that may fit their needs. They have seen the houses for sale in photos and they know their locations. In so many cases the Buyers know more about the properties than most agents do. What they don’t know, and can’t know, are the “goods and bads” of various Pine Island areas…. and many make the mistake of using an off-island agent.
I know that selling a house is a very personal experience, and can be a scary one as well. You and I both want to make it a successful and happy sale. As an independent company we are able to build a marketing strategy that is personalized to you and your home, it’s not a cookie cutter one size fits all program. Your home will be photographed by a professional and shown to its best advantage. We will suggest ways to help it show better. It will be intensely marketed and advertised across hundreds of marketing channels all over the US and Europe.
And because we don’t have dozens of listings we can do our utmost to get you top dollar and alleviate anxiety. You won’t have your time wasted by some unknown agent dragging in unqualified buyers. We handle all of those details before anyone sets foot in your home. Because we are small and independent… we can do that! Your phone calls, texts and emails will get answered immediately…..by me.
You see, one other benefit of working with me, as the owner of the company…. I have no other “hands in the pie” to answer to – just you. Our clients in so many cases
become personal friends. I value the friendships we have made through more than 700 closed deals during my time on Pine Island.
Dream Home Associates is an independent boutique brokerage. We have a small office located on Pine Island Road in Bokeelia Florida and focus on quality over quantity. When you work with Dream Home Associates you are working with the founder of the company….me….Carl Jervis. We are enjoying doing what we do best and would love the opportunity to do it for you.
The Great Calusa Blueway
Kayaking anyone?
The Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail is a 190-mile marked canoe and kayak trail that meanders through the coastal waters and inland tributaries of Lee County, Florida. It attracts everyone from first-time kayakers to advanced paddlers and is home to abundant marine life, shore birds and crustaceans.
There are 3 “phases” to the Calusa Blueway for kayakers to explore….
PHASE 1 / Estero Bay
PHASE 2 / Pine Island Sound
PHASE 3 / Caloosahatchee River
There are charts for each phase with more then 80 highlighted places to see and access points to visit. Wildlife is abundant with birds, dolphins, sea turtles, manatees and all sort of fish and paddling is a great way to interact with all.
Pine Island is included in “Phase 2” of the 190 miles of Calusa Blueway trails, and will give you similar experiences of paddling in the Everglades or Ten Thousand Islands. There are thick and tangled mangrove tunnels, uninhabited barrier islands, and quiet canals to investigate. Something for everyone from easy paddles to crossing Pine Island Sound to visit uninhabited islands.
The Pine Island portion of the Calusa Blueway includes San Carlos Bay at the southern end, Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Matlacha Pass in the middle and Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park on the northern end.
While paddling in and around Pine Island Sound Aquatic Preserve and through Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve you will be in and out of towering mangroves 
that are home to fish, birds, crabs, raccoons and lots of other critters. If you happen upon an opening in the mangroves, paddle in and check it out. It’s a world of it’s own.
Almost smack dab in the middle of Pine Island on the western coast is the Randell Research Center. Paddle on up to the Historical marker at Pineland and just across the street is a self guided tour. Learn about the Calusa indians, their shell mounds and the rich history of Pine Island.
From Pineland your next stop should be the island of Cayo Costa. For the young and brave you can paddle across the sound, or you can take a ferry. The Tropic Star runs out of the state park and you (and your kayak) can hitch a ride. Cayo Costa has empty beaches, several camping sites and rustic cabins for overnight stays. Reservations are recommended.
South of Cayo Costa is Picnic Island another uninhabited wild island. Picnic Island has a nice beach, a lagoon to swim in and a great view of the Sanibel Bridge. You can camp overnight on the island without a reservation, but in the summer months it may be crowded.
From Picnic, paddle on up to Matlacha Pass and visit the funky little artist town of Matlacha (Mat-La-Shay). Have
a grouper sandwich at one of the many waterfront restaurants , paddle up and down some of the canals, and see the shrimp fleet in the harbor. While in the Pass keep your eyes open for Dolphin and Manatees…
Even if you have never kayaked before, there are many outfitters on Pine Island that can help you get started. There are guided tours as well and that might be just the thing to show you the way around.
Kayaking up and down the canals in St. James City, Bokeelia and Matlacha will give you an entirely different view of Pine Island. This is really the way to see Pine Island, from the water.
It is, after all, why we live here!